Instructional and Expressive Educational Objectives: Their Formulation and Use in Curriculum.

Eisner, Elliot W.

Because different educational goals are based on individual sets of values, research findings considered highly significant by one group of educators will seem irrelevant to others. Empirical studies of educational objectives are needed to investigate (1) the relationship between the way objectives are formulated and their quality, (2) the extent to which teachers have educational objectives, (3) the effect objectives have on curriculum planning and instruction, and (4) the usefulness of educational objectives in facilitating learning. Educational objectives may be divided into two divisions: instructional objectives, which emphasize the acquisition of the known (skills defined in a predictive model of curriculum development), and expressive objectives, which elaborate and modify existing knowledge. Expressive objectives may produce new knowledge as a result of an educational encounter in which the child is free to explore. When expressive objectives are used by teachers, diversity (rather than homogeneity of response) is sought. Research needs to be undertaken on the consequences of the use of each kind of objective. (MS)